Motorola phones are great value, and that’s particularly true for Prime Day. With attractive discounts on a host of models, now is the best time to get your hands on a Motorola phone. Having tested all of Motorola’s phones over the last three years, we’re here to help you make the right choice.
Moto G7
Stellar value
$199 at Amazon
Pros
- Robust internal hardware
- Modern design
- Works on all four U.S. carriers
- All-day battery life
- Uncluttered software
Cons
- No NFC
- Software updates are an issue
The Moto G7 is a great phone in its own right, and on Prime Day it’s becoming an even better option in the budget segment. You get decent hardware in the form of a Snapdragon 632 chipset, along with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The design has also been updated for 2019 thanks to a waterdrop cutout and thin bezels. Best of all, the phone is sold unlocked and works on all U.S. carriers, including Verizon and Sprint.
Moto Z3 Play
Mod your phone
$299 at Amazon
Pros
- Works with Moto Mods
- Great hardware
- Clean software
- Works on all four U.S. carriers
Cons
- No 3.5mm jack
- No more updates
The Moto Z3 Play isn’t quite the latest device anymore, but it is still going strong in 2019. The Snapdragon 636 is a very capable chipset, and it continues to deliver a lag-free user experience. With the Z3 Play, you’re also getting the ability to use Moto Mods, which significantly expand the functionality of the device. There’s also NFC, and the same great Motorola software that’s standard on all of its devices.
You know what you’re getting when you pick up a Motorola phone: decent specs and design backed by clean software, all at an attractive price point. The combination of clean software and value allowed Motorola to dominate the budget space for years, and that’s even more true on Prime Day, where both the Moto G7 and Z3 Play are getting enticing discounts. Here’s how they stack up.
Motorola has two great options this Prime Day
Both the Moto G7 and Z3 Play are getting attractive discounts for Prime Day, making them solid options if you’re in the market for a new phone: the G7 is on sale for just $199, with the Z3 Play available for $299. The discount on the Moto G7 is particularly interesting as the phone made its debut just a few months ago.
At $199, Moto G7 is just too good to pass up on Prime Day.
The Moto G7 has a modern design with a waterdrop cutout and glass back, and the Snapdragon 632 chipset is more than adequate for day-to-day tasks. You’re not going to see any slowdowns or lag when browsing or scrolling through Instagram, and the generous 4GB of RAM is great for multitasking.
Although the Moto Z3 Play doesn’t have the same design flair, it has the beefier Snapdragon 636 chipset, NFC, and the ability to use Moto Mods. That said, it is missing out on the 3.5mm jack, with Motorola prioritizing a thin chassis over the analog jack.
Both phones have the same 3000mAh battery along with 15W fast charging over USB-C. Both also come with the same great Motorola software, and while that’s great, you are not likely to receive updates on time.
| Operating system | Android 9.0 Pie | Android 9.0 Pie |
| Display | 6.2-inch IPS LCD, 2270×1080 (19:9)Gorilla Glass 3 | 6.01-inch IPS LCD, 2160×1080 (18:9)Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 6324 x 1.8GHZ Kryo 250 Gold4 x 1.8GHz Kryo 250Adreno 506 | Snapdragon 6368 x 1.8GHZ Kryo 260Adreno 509 |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB |
| Storage | 64GB | 32GB/64GB |
| MicroSD slot | Yes (up to 512GB) Dedicated slot | Yes (up to 1TB) Dedicated slot |
| Rear camera 1 | 12MP ƒ/1.8 PDAF | 12MP ƒ/1.7 PDAF |
| Rear camera 2 | 5MP ƒ/2.2 | 5MP ƒ/2.2 |
| Front camera | 8MP ƒ/2.2 | 8MP ƒ/2.0 |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/nBluetooth 4.2 LEGPSFM radio | Wi-Fi 802.11 acNFC, Bluetooth 5.0GPSFM radio |
| Audio | 3.5mm jackSingle speaker | USB-CSingle speaker |
| Battery | 3000mAhNon-removable | 3000mAhNon-removable |
| Charging | USB-C15W | USB-C15W |
| Water resistance | No rating | No rating |
| Security | Fingerprint sensor | Fingerprint sensor |
| Dimensions | 157 x 75.3 x 8mm 172g | 156.5 x 76.5 x 6.8mm156g |
| Colors | Ceramic Black, Clear White | Deep Indigo, Onyx Black |
Buy the Moto G7 if you want to save some cash
Prime Day is all about finding the best deals, and you’re not going to come across a better deal on the Moto G7 anywhere else. The phone is plenty capable at $299, but the additional $100 discount makes it one of the best values we’ve seen in the budget space in 2019.
You get Android 9.0 Pie out of the box, and Motorola’s software continues to offer meaningful additions like Moto Display that improve the user experience. The phone will pick up at least one platform upgrade, so you can be sure that it will make the switch to Android Q once it launches later in the year.
The design itself should hold up for at least a few generations, as well as the internal hardware. The 3000mAh battery lasts an entire day without any issues, you get a 3.5mm jack, a dedicated MicroSD slot, and the camera is decent enough for a budget phone.
Get the Moto Z3 Play if you plan to use Moto Mods
The Moto Z3 Play is the most affordable way to get started with the Moto Mods ecosystem, so if you have a few mods lying around from an older device or are looking to get started, it is the phone to get this Prime Day.
Sure, the design isn’t really as modern as the Moto G7 series, but the Snapdragon 636 is still going strong in 2019, and you also get NFC. That said, you’re missing out on the 3.5mm jack, and the phone isn’t likely to pick up further platform updates.
Moto G7
Stellar value
$199 at Amazon
One of the best deals in Prime Day 2019.
The Moto G7 is a great phone that’s getting even better on Prime Day. You get solid hardware along with a modern design, decent camera, and all-day battery life, and a pretty great discount to round things off. You can’t really ask for much more.
Moto Z3 Play
Mod your phone
$299 at Amazon
Get in on the modular action.
If you’ve been interested in the Moto Mods ecosystem but never really picked up a Moto Z device, now is the time to change that. The Prime Day deal on the Moto Z3 Play makes it one of the best options if you’re looking to start off with Moto Mods. The phone itself is going strong in 2019, thanks to a combination of robust hardware and clean software.
